AFP welcomes court ruling on Tiamzon couple

November 27, 2020

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomes the conviction by a Quezon City court of kidnapping and serious illegal detention on alleged communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.

"The many victims of NPA atrocities and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) rejoice with the conviction of two top NPA leaders and CPP Central Committee members Benito and Wilma Tiamzon," said Major General Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, on Friday.

"The conviction of the Tiamzons is a victory for the many victims of atrocities of the NPA particularly orders to conduct murder, arson, extortion, ambushes, bombing and the like that they orchestrated," he added.

Arevalo said the Tiamzon couple were convicted “beyond reasonable doubt” by the Regional Trial Court 216 of Quezon City for the crime of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

"They were sentenced to “suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua with all its accessory penalties” in a decision penned by Presiding Judge Alfonso C. Ruiz II. They were also ordered to indemnify Lt. Abraham Casis—the victim in this case—the sum of P75,000 as moral damages," he said.

"Among other celebrated cases that this couple was charged was multiple murder committed during the Inopacan massacre where Jose Maria Sison is a co-accused. The couple was also charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives," he added.

Arevalo said "the AFP will continue to hunt them down after they have violated the provisions of their temporary liberty by virtue of their being nominated as consultants in the  peace negotiations with government".

"They refused to submit themselves to government after the peace negotiations did not prosper," he said.

"The AFP will continue to strengthen its resolve to bring other criminals to justice in honor of the victims of the violence perpetrated by the CPP-NPA," he added.

Arevalo also emphasized that the AFP "joins the Filipino people in calling for a justiciable end to the armed struggle that has dragged on for decades and claimed thousands of lives."

"It is time for the rest of the CPP-NPA to abandon the armed struggle and take part in bringing genuine peace and development to the country," he added. Robina Asido/DMS